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BALBOA THEATER NEWSLETTER | |||||||||
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General Admission: $9.00, Senior (60+) or Child (11-): $6.50 WHAT’S IN THE NEWS: Showtimes, Dear Friends, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Concert Film, The Karate Kid, Letters to Juliet, City Island, Remembering Playland at the Beach, Photos in the Lobby: 100 Hours in the Dark, Win Tickets to Sandy Hackett's Rat Pack Show-Final Weeks, Theater Information. | |||||||||
SHOWTIMES - Thursday, June 10, 2010 |
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THEATRE #1 |
THEATRE #2 |
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KILLERS (PG-13) - in Dolby Stereo! (separate admission) |
SEX AND THE CITY 2 (R) |
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SHOWTIMES - Friday, June 11 - Wednesday, June 16, 2010 |
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THEATRE #1 |
THEATRE #2 |
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THE KARATE KID (PG) Group sales available for schools, youth groups, summer camps and martial arts schools. Contact us here, with Attn: Group Sales. |
Double Feature-One Week Only LETTERS TO JULIET (PG) -With- (separate admission) |
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SHOWTIMES - Thursday, June 17 Only |
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REMEMBERING PLAYLAND AT THE BEACH Double Feature-Final Day -With- Special Event - Separate Admission - $10 |
THE KARATE KID (PG) Group sales available for schools, youth groups, summer camps and martial arts schools. Contact us here, with Attn: Group Sales. |
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COMING SOONOpens Next Friday, June 18: |
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THE UGLY TRUTH WE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT!
(Spoiler... the theater chains, distributors and trade organizations do not want me to write this.)
OK, so we all make mistakes. The movie business has seen many changes in the years I have been lucky enough to be a part of it. I have enjoyed great movies and suffered through terrible ones. The studios used to screen films for theater owners to see in advance. This helped us decide which movies were right for our cinema and how long we thought it might show. But today very few films are screened for us and when they are, it usually is a week before the movie opens.
We have to make educated guesses based on what we know about the stars and director, the timing of the release, gossip on the internet, and watching the coming attractions. For the commercial megaplexes it doesn’t make any difference. They will book everything and move the losers into small auditoriums. For independents like the Balboa the story is very different. Independent neighborhood theaters have only one or two screens and every choice must count. We are paying the studios 60-65% of the admission price as film rental. If the movie isn’t huge, our share doesn’t start to cover operating costs. And with the large number of engagements the greedy studios book each film into, we can’t expect huge box office.
The Spring has been hard. As much as we’d like to play more art films, those distributors are small and work with a limited number of prints. Landmark and Sundance can make demands for those prints and suggest that no other theaters be allowed to play in San Francisco. I call often for good specialized movies and am told they don’t want to bring in too many bookings for fear of cutting their existing engagements short. When the Empire and Stonestown suddenly open a movie we were told wasn’t available, the distributors tell me "But they are in South San Francisco." And I tell them those theaters are in the city of San Francisco; South SF is ten miles away. What BS they have agreed to believe. They do not want to hear the truth because the fantasy fits their needs.
So we have become increasingly dependent on big studio movies. Many of you have said you like having those films play in the neighborhood so the Balboa is filling a need. If a movie is playing in five or six venues in The City, we have a chance.
In selecting films for May and June we originally thought we’d follow our success two years ago by showing IRON MAN 2. But as the rental terms escalated and the number of theaters kept growing, we made a tough choice... to pull the booking. The distributor was shocked. They assumed everybody would play this movie no matter how the theater owners were abused.
We booked SEX AND THE CITY 2 because the first one was also a hit for us. Even if it wasn’t as much fun as the first edition, it would be "review proof" because it was certain to please its target audience. No screenings for theater owners but we heard it was over two hours and that was a scary sign. It meant the movie was probably too long for its own good and we would have to deal with difficult show time scheduling. But it wasn’t until opening Friday morning that we learned SEX would be playing in 10 - count ‘em – 10 theaters (and 16 auditoriums) in The City! And those reviews. Ouch! We found some good ones to post and collectively a lot of people went to see the movie the opening weekend... just not at the Balboa. In fact, many of the reviews were much funnier than the movie.
Take a look at this hilarious (and very adult) piece.
The previews for KILLERS looked funny. Robert Luketic has been a good filmmaker and the cast is attractive. I was a bit worried because the plot seemed familiar…like MR. AND MRS. SMITH, but that was a few years ago. It turned out to be basically the same movie as Jennifer Aniston’s THE BOUNTY HUNTER... and DATE NIGHT... and the upcoming Tom Cruise/Cameron Diaz KNIGHT AND DAY. A week before it opened we learned that not only was it not being screened for theater owners, but not for the press either. That is always a bad sign. It resulted in lots of negative predictions and eventual terrible reviews. If you want to see either film, tonight is the last time at the Balboa. Come laugh AT them.
Next week I’ll tell you some more secrets.
BETTER NEWS
Better news is that we are opening the surprisingly good KARATE KID. A bit long but a satisfying update on the original classic. It is all new with amazing scenes set in China. Jackie Chan is great to see in a part that allows him to act and you will be impressed when a star is born with Jaden Smith. His parents, Will and Jada-Pinkett should be proud. Young Jaden became a familiar face around San Francisco in 2005 while filming THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS, co-starring with his father.
Our other theater will show a great double feature. So many people have asked us to bring back CITY ISLAND that we are pleased to honor your requests. Andy Garcia, Julianna Margulies, and Alan Arkin shine in the year’s best adult comedy. It is also the longest running movie in town. The co-feature is the popular romance that men are liking too, LETTERS TO JULIET. Full details below. They play through next Thursday afternoon.
BRUCE
Thursday night we’ll have special screenings of a new Bruce Springsteen concert film. 50% of every ticket sold goes to the Danny Fund/Melanoma Research Alliance, a charity focused on finding and funding melanoma research to accelerate progress toward a cure. The Danny Fund was set up after the 2008 passing of Danny Federici, longtime Springsteen friend and E Street Band member. See www.dannyfund.org for additional information. With the warm weather just now coming on, it’s especially timely to raise awareness about the dangers of the sun.
See below for more info.
EVERYBODY IS A WINNER- Our Gifts to You
As you know, the Balboa has the lowest prices in town. But that is not all. We have FREE "KARATE KID" goodies for everyone (while supplies last). Chopsticks, t-shirts, and word games for the kids.
And don’t forget to check and see if it is your birthday when you are our guest.
PLAYLAND DVDs ON SALE SOON
Remembering Playland continues to bring people in, and many have asked us about DVDs. Arrangements are being made for us to start selling them at the Balboa very soon. Please come buy. Only $15.
WE ARE WINNERS TOO
We await the results of the San Francisco Magazine poll and thank the many of you who wrote such kind things about the Balboa on the BayList poll. Results on June 17.
http://baylist.sfgate.com/balboa-theater/biz/13806
VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITES
Now comes the Bay Guardian's annual "Best of the Bay" which has a huge ballot of categories and is always fun to read when it appears. You only have to vote in those categories that you want...not all or even a majority of them. We have Bay Guardians in the Balboa lobby or you can get the ballot here:
http://www.sfbayguardian.com/bestofthebay2010
The deadline is June 23 so don't put it off.
Thanks.
Sincerely,
Gary
Advance Tickets now on sale! "A revved up...power drive through Springsteen’s America" Captured in London at the Hard Rock Calling Festival on June 28, 2009, a special 90-minute version of this highly anticipated outdoor concert film comes to the Balboa for one night only, Thursday, June 17 at 7:15 and 9:15. All seats are $10 and half of every ticket sold benefits the Danny Fund/Melanoma Research Alliance, a charity focused on finding and funding melanoma research to accelerate progress toward a cure. The Danny Fund was set up after the 2008 passing of Danny Federici, longtime Springsteen friend and E Street Band member. See www.dannyfund.org for additional information. LONDON CALLING: Live In Hyde Park conveys the experience of being on stage and the vast crowd of the festival environment. See Bruce spontaneously direct the E Street Band through 13 live tracks, all recorded in glorious HD. Three lucky attendees will win the deluxe two DVD extended version of LONDON CALLING, a 172-minute film with 27 tracks. Just fill out the entry form in our lobby the night of the show. Listen to Bruce Springsteen's E Street Radio channel, SIRIUS channel 10 and XM channel 58 for a chance to win tickets to the Balboa showings. Want more info? Check out the Emerging Pictures blog. Also check out Springsteen's website for more info. |
In Columbia Pictures' The Karate Kid, 12-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) could've been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother's (Taraji P. Henson) latest career move has landed him in China. Dre immediately falls for his classmate Mei Ying - and the feeling is mutual - but cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre's feelings make an enemy of the class bully, Cheng. In the land of kung fu, Dre knows only a little karate, and Cheng puts "the karate kid" on the floor with ease. With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), who is secretly a master of kung fu. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries, but maturity and calm, Dre realizes that facing down the bullies will be the fight of his life. "Jaden Smith is destined to be a star by the force of will (and wallets) of parents Will and Jada Smith, both producers on The Karate Kid. But he's also got the raw material." "Chan, popular for his action spectacles featuring stunts no sane man would ever take part in, is a revelation throughout the film." "Given the dreck we’ve seen this summer, it’s nice to be reminded of the virtues of clean storytelling and cultural curiosity." "The Karate Kid is fun, and believable, on the most important level: It convinces us that Jaden Smith has what it takes to fight his way to the top." Watch interview with stars Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan. Watch interview with Jaden Smith Watch interview with Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, Taraji P. Henson, and producer Will Smith. Read interview with Jaden Smith and what it’s like being the new Karate Kid. |
When a young American (Amanda Seyfried) travels to the city of Verona, home of the star-crossed lover Juliet Capulet of Romeo and Juliet fame, she joins a group of volunteers who respond to letters to Juliet seeking advice about love. After answering one letter dated 1957, she inspires its author (Vanessa Redgrave) to travel to Italy in search of her long-lost love, and sets off a chain of events that will bring a love into both their lives unlike anything they ever imagined. "Vanessa Redgrave shimmers like one of Tuscany's magnificent cypress trees as an Englishwoman searching for Lorenzo (Franco Nero)." "Redgrave puts all she’s got into something other actors might just toss off or throw away. She’s present every moment; this is an actress who doesn’t have a second to waste." "I know the ending is preordained from the setup. I know the characters are broad and comforting stereotypes. In this case, I simply don’t care. Sometimes we have personal reasons for responding to a film." "It's also a case of art imitates life imitates art. If that makes it a tribute to a tribute to a classic, then it is no less enjoyable for that." "There are two reasons to see the movie: to experience the development of the relationship between Sophie and Charlie and to marvel at the images of Verona and its environs as captured by the camera of cinematographer Marco Pontecorvo." Read interview with star Amanda Seyfried. Watch interview with Amanda Seyfried. Watch interview with stars Gael Garcia Bernal and Christopher Egan. |
When prison guard and aspiring actor, Vince Rizzo (Andy Garcia) is asked to reveal his biggest secret during his drama class, he inadvertently sets off a chain of events that turns his mundane suburban life into total chaos. Vince takes great pains covering up his half-truths from his family, but soon it becomes clear that everyone—his hot-tempered wife (Julianna Margulies), college student daughter (Dominik Garcia-Lorido), long-lost ex-con son (Steven Strait), charismatic acting partner (Emily Mortimer) and even his drama coach (Alan Arkin)—all have secrets of their own. Everyone’s furtive deceptions collide with hilarious results. Set on City Island, a quaint fishing community on the outskirts of the Bronx, this smart and charming comedy explores the absurd secrets and vices people choose to keep from their loved ones…and the realization that the truth is easier to cope with than well-intentioned white lies. City Island is a funny and touching family tale about the secrets of the past catching up with the lies of the present, and accepting that nobody’s perfect – least of all your loved ones. Official Website (with trailer)
"Unpredictable, but suffused with flavor and heart, this Tribeca Film Festival Audience Award winner is a fresh catch." "'City Island' is pretty damned irresistible. What begins as a winning workout in a highly familiar genre — the white-ethnic, big-city family comedy — gradually gains both screwball momentum and emotional power, and delivers an unexpected punch by the time it reaches its climactic pileup of characters and revelations." "A funny, heartfelt look at families, relationships and the lies that prop them up as much as tear them down." "Uproariously funny." A series of articles by Writer/Director Raymond De Felitta. And here. |
The full length documentary tells the history of San Francisco's famous 10-acre seaside amusement park, Playland at the Beach. Located next to Ocean Beach, it was torn down in 1972 to make way for a condominium development. Gone now for more than 3 decades, it remains one of the city's lost treasures. Go back in time to see Laffing Sal, the Fun House, the Carousel, the Big Dipper, the Diving Bell, Dark Mystery, Limbo, Fun-tier Town, and much, much more, all through the eyes of the people who were there. The first and only documentary ever made about Playland, it features 12 interviews, 20 minutes of archival footage, 187 photographs and original music. The film was written and directed by Tom Wyrsch.
Hockey Haven across the street from the Balboa will be serving Playland drink specials after the show where fans will gather to remember their own experiences at Playland. |
"Wyrsch’s film lovingly re-creates some of the spectacle of this 365-day-a-year carnival with old pictures and film footage plus lots of interviews, many of them with members of a group dedicated to maintaining a museum of Playland relics." "The film is a giddy nostalgia trip for those who remember the place and a pop history lesson for others." "The Playland documentary was better than one could have hoped for. Thank you to all that helped make those memories live forever." "Allows everyone to experience Playland for themselves, if only vicariously. Go back in time to see Laffing Sal, the Fun House, the Carousel, the Big Dipper, the Diving Bell, Dark Mystery, Limbo, Fun-tier Town, and much, much more, all through the eyes of the people that were there." "Wyrsch has turned Playland at the Beach into a twilight zone all its own by unearthing historic film footage and photos that vividly re-create the unique look and feel of the seaside attraction." "Conjures the joys of summers past through a season’s pass worth of archival footage and photographs, abetted by a slew of choice interviews." "For those of us who loved Playland, this superb film brings to life again an unforgettable part of our lives. If you never experienced Playland, this wonder-filled look at a vanished part of San Francisco will give you a taste of what was and what must never be forgotten."
Take a look at the first sneak preview’s crowd. Read an interview with George K. Whitney about his family’s operation of Playland. Other articles and home movies on the Western Neighborhoods Site Playland-Not-At-The-Beach is a wonderful museum of fun dedicated to the real thing. WE URGE YOU TO VISIT IT IN PERSON. It is the perfect site for a party unlike any you’ve ever attended. |
The images from the portfolio “100 Hours in the Dark” were shot off the screen while vintage movies were shown at the Telegraph Repertory Movie Theater shortly before it closed. The show will be up at the Balboa starting this weekend. For more information on the artist, please visit her site. |
FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY Please do not enter if you cannot attend. You may only enter once. If we see duplicates, each entry will be disqualified. GET A $10 PER TICKET DISCOUNT As a Balboa Theatre newsletter subscriber you can save $10* on tickets to the show critics are hailing as "Fresh and Exciting" and "The Best Rat Pack Show out there!" Marking a half century since the original Rat Pack’s legendary Las Vegas performances at the Sands Hotel, Sandy Hackett’s Rat Pack Show takes audiences on a journey back to the days of highballs, hi-jinks and happy hour with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Joey Bishop and Dean Martin. Produced by Sandy Hackett - son of the late, great comedian and actor Buddy Hackett - and Lisa Dawn Miller - daughter of legendary songwriter Ron Miller – Sandy Hackett’s Rat Pack Show features the classic songs everyone knows and loves such as "For Once in My Life," "My Way," "Mack the Knife," plus original, never-before-heard songs written by the late Miller. To take advantage of this offer go to www.marinesmemorialtheatre.tix.com or www.sandysratpack.com and enter RATPACK in the Promotional Code Box or call 415-771-6900 and mention RATPACK before placing your order. *Note: this discount is not valid on previously ordered tickets, with any other offers, on preview performances or premium seats. Limit 6 tickets per order. Must be requested at time of purchase. Subject to availability. Service fee applies. |
3630 Balboa Street (between 37th and 38th Avenues)
San Francisco 94121
(415) 221-8184
www.BalboaMovies.com
Bike Rack in front of the Balboa
Muni Bus #31 Balboa or #18 46th Ave stop at Balboa & 37th.
Also #5 Fulton and all 38 Geary Street buses stop two (long) blocks from Balboa.
Relatively easy Parking
San Francisco's Favorite Neighborhood Theatre
Voted by the Bay Guardian, SF Weekly, SF Gate's A List
and San Francisco Magazine
General Admission: $9.00
Seniors (60+) and Children (11-) $6.50
Bargain Matinees: All seats $6.50 for shows in ( )
SCHOOL NIGHT - Mondays are School Days and Nights. With proof of being a student, faculty, or staff member, your admission is only $6.50 on Mondays.
On Your Birthday, You Are Our Guest. That’s right. You get in free with proof of your birth date.
And at all other times you can get the "I’d Rather Be At the Balboa" Discount Card. What a deal! 5 tickets to the Balboa for $32.50. That is only $6.50 per show. Good every day and night. And two people can use the card at once. You can go on a date even when you are low on cash with your Balboa Card. A savings of up to $12.50! Makes a perfect gift as well. And every Discount Card comes with a FREE POPCORN!
The Balboa is Wheelchair and Handicapped Accessible.
One of the strengths of the Balboa is our neighborhood. Other than the bank, all the businesses are family owned and operated. The restaurants are especially wonderful. On the outer Balboa strip there are 24 eating establishments by my count. You can eat Chinese, Japanese, Egyptian, Italian, American, Mexican, Seafood and Vietnamese cuisines. The foods are fresh, distinctive and all reasonably priced. The media food critics have only discovered a few of them but the locals know a good thing. We encourage you to enjoy a meal at one of these fine eateries while visiting the Balboa. All are within easy walking distance. And please send us reviews and recommendations we can share with our other guests. Send reviews to balboafans (at) yahoo.com . (Change (at) to @. We are trying to avoid spam.)
We love it when you send us a review of a neighborhood restaurant you've enjoyed. We encourage you all to write about your culinary adventures in the Outer Richmond. Check out the Menu Book in our lobby and our COMPLETE RESTAURANT LIST.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band’s LONDON CALLING: Live In Hyde Park rocks Emerging Cinemas and supports Melanoma Research!
Rated PG for bullying, martial arts action violence, and some mild language. 2 hours 20 minutes.
Rated PG for brief rude behavior, some language, and incidental smoking. 1 hour 45 minutes.
Rated PG-13 for sexual content, smoking and language. 1 hour 40 minutes.
"You needn't have colorful Italian relatives, like myself, to enjoy this boisterous and warm-hearted film, which sidesteps cliche while embracing the hope and love in loony dysfunctional families everywhere."
82 minutes.
The famous ice cream sandwiches created at Playland, IT’S IT, will be for sale at the Balboa snack bar.
"I laughed at the varied reactions each patron had to the different rides. Wyrsch treats each major attraction with fragile respect, as if their memories might break if we rushed through. As someone who wasn’t even alive when it was open, I found myself nostalgic for something I’d never know…I suspected most of the audience did know. As they featured each ride, collective gasps and chuckles of familiarity took over the theater."
Kate Kline May is a Bay Area photographer and filmmaker whose photographs have been included in a major group show at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, a solo show in Tokyo at Zeit Foto Gallery and a solo show at Bank of America World Headquarters, San Francisco.
Sandy Hackett's Rat Pack Show is in it's final weeks. You can enter to win a pair of tickets to re-live the magic of the Rat Pack this Saturday June 12 at 2pm or 8pm, or next Saturday June 19 at 2pm or 8pm! We have 8 pairs to give away.